South Auckland trio fined in $300k pyramid scheme targeting Pasifika community

A South Auckland trio have been fined for their involvement in a pyramid scheme which targeted the Pasifika community through traditional cash-based gifting. An estimated 240 people fell victim to the “6K Gifting Co-operative” (6K) scheme between 2020 and 2021, the Commerce Commission said. Between $225,000 and $336,750 was invested into the scheme by participants.

However, Associate Commissioner Joseph Liava’a said evidence found during its investigation “suggests that the scheme may in fact have been larger”. “It has been hard to measure the full financial impact this scheme had on the victims as it was cash based.”.